Building construction



Aug, 31, 1937. c. B. MACAULEY BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed July 11, 1936 "m mm W I I.

w MM WWM W M INVENTOR filinlanMaeau ATTORNEY \Iiiill Patented Aug. 31, 1937 UNITED STATES QFHCE 2 Claims.

" This invention relates to a novel building block and walls constructed from such blocks particularly for the erection of earthquake-proof buildlugs to be constructed by unskilled labor, and 5 preferably buildings constructed from walls spaced from one another, the space between which is suitable for the housing of insulation material or steam and water pipes or gas and electrical fixtures.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide concrete blocks having interengaging male and female members to unite the blocks when superposed or juxtaposed, whereby wires, embedded in the material of the blocks and projecting at suitable places to the outside thereof, are wound about strong iron rods, embedded in the channeled meeting ends or seams, about which said wires are twisted; the rods and wires may then be suitably covered by cement on the outside of the building or by plaster of Paris on the inside.

Another object of my invention is the provision of building blocks forming an article of manufacture and permitting the ready and convenient construction of buildings and tearin down of the same.

i A further object of my invention is the provision of metal rods the ends of which project beyond the upper layer of blocks so that they may conveniently be twisted about the ceiling beams.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of reinforced concrete blocks for erection of fireproof buildings by unskilled labor which will withstand all shocks caused by earthquakes or the like, and which are of a comparatively simple and inexpensive construction yet durable and highly efiicient in use.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become more fully known as the description thereof proceeds and will then be specifically defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective view of a house constructed according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the center piers showing supporting girder and beam.

Fig. 3 illustrates a section of basement showing 50 two center and one corner piers on the side of the house wall.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a concrete wall and rod and beam construction associated therewith.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a concrete footing.

A house constructed according to my invention has its walls constructed from blocks or slabs iii, and wires are embedded in the material of each block and project therefrom to be wound or tied about the rods I5 and have their ends firmly twisted about said rods.

As illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 the foundation comp-rises a concrete footing or plate I! having tongues l8 adapted to engage the grooves in the blocks forming the inner wall [9 and outer wall 2i), the space between which is to be filled with concrete 2 l while the upper ends of the walls carry a metal plate 22 having tongues 23 adapted to engage the house walls 24, 25 which are spaced. from one another by an air space 26 for the reception of plumbing, gas, electric or telephone wires, etc.

The joists or beams 21 rest with their ends on the plates 22 and the ends of the rods are bent down upon the joists or beams 21 and twisted thereupon, as at 28.

The corner piers or central piers are illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, and are formed of blocks 29 and 30 having interlocking end tongues and grooves, and a central space which may be filled with concrete 2| or other material.

The roof may be constructed as customary from a ridge member 36 of wood or V-iron, and the rafters are secured thereto and to the joists of either metal or wood in any suitable manner, and the upper ends of the rods l5 are clamped as at 38 to the upper end plate 39 of the walls.

In use the concrete footing plates ll are embedded in the ground and the foundation walls 19, 26 erected therein as shown in. Figure 4, then the metal plate 22 is placed on top and the iron rods l5 embedded in the grooves of the wall forming blocks.

The blocks forming the inner and outer house walls 24, 25 are placed upon the metal plates to engage with their front grooves the ridges and tongues 23 of the metal plate and spaced from one another, the space between both walls to be used for the reception of gas and water pipes, wires, etc.

Within the outer groove of the blocks forming the stones the rods l5 are guided and may be covered on the inside of the house with plaster of Paris and on the outside with mortar, cement or the like.

It will be clear that the outside walls may be painted or decorated in any suitable desired manner.

The piers 28, 30 are simultaneously erected in a similar manner, and it will be clear that the interengaging groove and tongue construction in combination with the embedded wires having their ends extending from the blocks and tightly wound about the rods and twisted thereabout will result in an extremely firm construction particularly where earthquake-proof construction is desirable.

It will be understood that I have described and shown the preferred form of my building block and house construction as one example only of the many possible ways to practically make the same, and that I may make such changes therein and in the construction of the minor details.

for the space between said rows of blocks, a metal plate provided with tongues carried by the upper ends of said foundation walls, and an outer and inner wall spaced from one another carried by said plate and interlocked therewith, rods guided in grooves of said walls, and joists supported by said foundation.

2. In a building construction as described, concrete foot plates, tongues formed with said plates, and tiers of grooved blocks vertically mounted on said foot plates and arranged in pairs, each tier of such blocks spaced from the other, the tongues of said foot plates engaging in the grooves of said blocks, a concrete filling in the space between the two tiers of each pair, a metal plate carried by the upper ends of said block tiers, tongues formed with said metal plate, bloc-ks forming spaced building walls and provided with grooves to be engaged by the tongues on said plate, beams resting with their outer ends on said plate, and rods forming the outer facing of said tiers and having their ends bent down upon said beams and twisted.

CLINTON B. MACAULEY. 

